Goal Project injects new life into Pakistan football

Since the introduction of FIFA-financed projects about two years ago, football in Pakistan seems to be slowly gathering pace.

"FIFA's goal project has already resulted in a stadium in Lahore only for football while the upcoming football academy, which is part of the Goal Project has injected new life into the game in Pakistan," said Abdul Aziz Malik, Manager of the Pakistan Under-17 team currently playing in the AFC Championship in Dubai.

"It has been two years since the four-year development programme by FIFA was started and with two international coaches there is a marked improvement in the game back home," said Malik, a former Pakistan Army and Railways player.

John Litten of UK and Josef Haref of Czech Republic are the two coaches from FIFA who are helping hone the skills of budding Pakistani footballers.

"Further the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) under Mian Mohammed Azhar has also received tremendous boost and we hope the upward trend will continue," Malik added.

"With Asia hosting the World Cup this time and the sub-continent getting to watch all the games during day time, Pakistan was totally engulfed by football fever. After the World Cup, one can see boys playing football in all the fields and streets, which is also a good sign for the progress of the game," he added.

Mohammed Afzal, Assistant Coach of the under-17 team and a former Pakistani national team goalkeeper said the present squad was assembled at short notice as Pakistan were invited as a replacement for Tajikistan.

"We do have quite a few talented youngsters and with the PFF deciding to form the under-14 and under-16 teams last year, that move has also paid off," Afzal said.

Pakistan's current football structure consists of the district level tournaments first and then the inter-district. After that the national championships which has the four provinces and the institutional teams like Railways, Army etc.

"With such extensive facilities for football available here the large number of youngsters should take up the game. With the game making a surge forward in Pakistan, the youth in the schools here can take up the game which can also give them employment.

"In Pakistan, institutions like the Railways, Army, Navy, Airforce, WAPDA, PIA and many banks offer openings at various levels for sportsmen," Malik said.

"The Pakistani schoolboys here can take up the game which will not only result in good players for the country but will also help them get good government jobs," he said.

Lamenting the fact that cricket overshadows all other games in Pakistan, Malik however felt the game was on the rise and with good support from sponsors and the media, there was hope for better performances by the footballers.